Coin-actuated vending mechanism.



' Patented Aug. l9, I902. F. M. SEARS.

COIN ACTUATED VENDING MECHANISM.

(Application filed Apr. 25, 1901.)

3 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

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F. M. SEARS.

COIN AGTUATED VENDING MECHANISM.

No. 707,524. Patented Aug. l9, I902.

(Application filed Apr. 25, 1901.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Patented 'Aug. l9, I902.

F. m. SEARS. COIN ACTUATED VENDING MECHANISM.

(Application flled Apr. 25, 1901.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

jz zvazl on' lJnTTnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK M. SEARS, OF CHARLEVOIX, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO AUGUST CHALOUPKA, OF OHARLEVOIX, MICHIGAN.

COlN-ACTUATED VENDING MECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 707,524, dated August 19, 1902.

Application filed April 25, 1901. Serial No. 57,396. (No model.)

To (all whom, may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK M. SEARS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Charlevoix, in the county of Charlevoix and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Coin-Actuated Vending Mechanisms, of which the following is a specification. I

This invention relates to coin actuated 1o Vending mechanisms; and it has for its object to provide an improved mechanism of this class which shall be relatively simple in construction, which shall possess points of superiority in positiveness and certainty of I 5 operation, and which can only be actuated by a coin of proper denomination and bulk.

In the drawings, Figure l'is an elevation of my improved coin-actuated vending mechanism, the casing being broken away in parts to show the construction. Fig. 2 is a detail horizontal sectional view showing the delivery member of the mechanism. Fig. 3 is a detail vertical sectional view further showing the delivery member of the mechanism. Fig. 4: is

a detail horizontal sectional view showing the coin receiving and operating members of the mechanism. Fig. 5 is a detail vertical seetional View of the coin-receiving member, the coin-guides, and the operating member of the mechanism. Fig. 6 is a detail vertical sectional view of the coin-receiving member and the main coin-guide. Fig. 7 isa detail transverse sectional view taken through the coinreceiving member and the operating member 3 5 and looking upwardly. Fig. Sis a detail vertical sectional View of the operating member. Fig. 9 is a detail elevation, partly in section, of a portion of the coin-receiving member.

Corresponding parts in all the figures are denoted by the same reference characters.

Referring to the drawings, my improved mechanism comprises in the main a commodity-holding member 1, a delivery member 2, and a coin actuated operating member 3,

5 whereby the delivery member is operated.

These parts are preferably housed in a suitable casing 4, which comprises a base member 5 and an upper member 6. The base member 5 is divided transversely by a horizontal 5o partition 7 into a lower coin-compartment 8 and an upper compartment 9. In the upper compartment 9 are arranged the delivery member 2 and the coin-actuated operating member 3, which latter also projects above the base member 5 and is housed in a casing 10. The latter arrangement effects convenience in the operation of the coin-actuated operating member.

The commodity-holding member 1 in the preferred form of construction consists of an elongated vertical casing 11, which is rectangular in form and may be provided with a glass front plate 12. The packages or articles to be vended may be stored in the casing 11 in superposed position, and the lower end of the casing 11 projects beneath the top of the base member 5 of the casing in position to discharge into the delivery member 2.

The delivery member 2 consists, in the preferred form of construction, of a sector-shaped 7o carriage 12, which is carried upon a horizontal shaft 13, which latter is mounted upon the partition 7 and within the upper casingcompartment The sector shape of the delivery member permits the same to swing beneath the lower end of the casing 11 and to receive the packages from the latter. At the forward edge the sector-shaped carriage 12 is provided with a plurality of spaced and downwardly-curved fingers 14, which when the delivery member 2 is in its normal rearmost position project beneath the open lower end of the casing 11 and directly receive in succession the packages or articles stored in the same. The delivery member 2 is normally retained in rearmost position by suitable tensional means,preferablyconsisting of aspring 15, which is connected with the same and with the casing. Forwardly of the delivery member 2 is arranged a downwardly-inclined 9o chute 16, into which the packagesare deposited by the delivery member. A plurality of ejection-fingers 17 project rearwardly from the chute 16, and these, when the delivery member is tilted forwardly, pass between the 5 spaced fingers 14 and eject the package into the chute. The delivery member2 is directly actuated in its tilting movement by a conmeeting-lever 18, which is approximately centrally pivoted and which is operatively con- 10o nected at its rearward end with the delivery member 3, as at 19, and, as hereinafter deoffset or enlarged, as at 32.

scribed, is actuated to tilt the delivery member through the medium of the coin.

The coin-actuated operating member 3 consists, in the main, of a coin-receiving member 20, a primary coin-guide 21, a secondary coinguide 22,and an operating-plunger23. WVhen the coin has passed to the secondary coinguide 22, it is sustained thereby in such position with respect to the forward end of the connecting-lever 18 that the plunger 23 is enabled through the medium of the coin to actuate the connecting-lever and tilt the delivery member 2 to discharge a package into the chute 16.

In the preferred form of construction the coin-receiving member 20 consists of a cylindrical barrel 24, which is provided with a transverse coin-slot 25 and is provided with end bearings 26, which arejournaled in standards 27, which latter are fixed to the top of the frame-base member within the casing 10. The main coin-guide 21 is arranged between the standards 27 and consists of a vertical rectangular coin -tube 28, which projects downwardly through the top of the framebase member and is laterally curved at its lower end, as at 29. The coin-tube 28 is of proper cross-sectional proportions to permit the coin to pass freely through the same. The movement of the barrel 24; is accomplished by a handle 24 and is opposed byaspring2et The relative arrangement of the cylindrical barrel 24: and the upper end of the coin-tube 28 is such that when the barrel is turned to a predetermined extent upon its end bearings the transverse coin-slot 25 will come into registration with the upper end of the cointube and permit the coin to slip into the latter. Secured to the forward side of the cointube 28 at the upper end of the same are a pair of forwardlyand upwardly curved guidefingers 30, which serve to guide the coin into the coin-tube when the barrel 24 is rotated. The coin-slot 25 is centrally diminished in length to a slight extent, and this formation prevents the coin from slipping through the same when first inserted in the coin-receiving member. At a predetermined distance from the top of the coin-tube 28 a spring-finger 31 projects through the side of the same and serves as a temporary detent for a coin passing downwardly through the coin-tube. Opposite the spring-finger the coin-tube is The barrel 24 of the coin-receiving member carries a camshaped finger 33, which in the rotation of the barrel plays through a vertical slot 33 in the top of the coin-tube 28 and operates after the deposit of the coin in the said coin-tube to force downwardly the coin last deposited in the coin-tube. This operation forces downwardly the coin last previously deposited in the coin-tube and which upon its insertion in the coin-tube was detained by the springfinger 31. It follows, therefore, that at all times there is one of the coins in the cointube, the course of passage of a given coin through the same being, first, into the tube into position to be supported by the previous coin, which in turn is detained by the springfinger 31; second, into a position of direct support by the spring-finger 31, and, third, past the spring-finger 31 and downward to the laterally-deflected end 29 of the cointube.

The coin-guide 22 consists in the preferred form of construction of a vertical rectangular coin-tube 33", which extends between the transverse partition 7 of the frame-base member and the top of said base member, and the coin-tube 33 is slotted vertically throughout its entire length, as at 34. The laterallycurved lower end portion 29 of the coin-tube 28 communicates with the coin-tube 33 at one side, as at 35, at a point approximately midway of the ends of the latter, and the coins passing through the coin-tube 28 after their release from the spring-finger 31 enter the coin-tube 33 and are checked in their descent through the latter by the forward end of the connecting-lever 18, which forward end normally projects through the elongated slot 34: at a point immediately below the point of connection of the coin-tubes 28 and 33". The connectinglever 18 is arranged and supported to play vertically at its forward end in the slot 34.

The operating-plunger 23 is vertically arranged and extends through the top of the casing 10 and the upper member 6 of the casing 4:. A coiled spring 36 is wound about the upper portion of the plunger 23 within the casing 10, said spring being connected with the plunger at its upper end and bearing at its lower end upon the upper member 6 of the casing 4. The plunger 23 operates in a vertical path rearwardly of the coin-tube 33 and is provided with a bifurcated lower end portion 37, which straddles the forward end of the connecting-lever 18 rearwardly of the coin-tube 33 and thus effectually guides the plunger in a vertical path of movement. The plunger 23 is provided at its point of bifurcation with a forwardly-projecting finger or lug 38, which in the vertical play of the plunger operates within the vertical elongated slot 34 in the coin-tube 33 and in the operation of the mechanism serves to force downwardly the forward end portion of the connecting-lever 18 through the medium of the coin which is deposited by the coin-tube 28 into the normally open space in the cointube 33 and between the finger 38 and the forward end of the connecting-lever 18. v

The coin-tube 33 is vertically slotted at the same side as that at which the coin-tubes 28 and 33 are connected, as at 39, and at a point directly beneath the lower end of the cointube 28, said slot 39 being proportioned to permit of the discharge of the coin laterally from the coin-tube 33 after the joint depression of coin and the forward end of the connecting -lever 18, which depression is performed,as above set forth,through the agency of the operating-plunger 23. This discharge of the coin through the slot 39 occurs at a phase of the operation of the mechanism when the carriage 12 of the delivery member has discharged its load into the chute l6.

Provision is made for a final discharge of the coin into the coin-compartment 8, and such provision comprises the vertical guidetube 10, which guide-tube is arranged laterally of the lower end of the coin-tube 33 and is vertically slotted, as at 41, in coincideuce with the vertical slot 39,which is formed in the coin-tube 33 The guide-tube 40 extends downwardly through the partition 7 into the coin-compartment 8, and the coins discharged from the coin-tube 33 are thus through the momentum of their own gravity led into their final place of deposit, whence they may be abstracted by the owner of the mechanism.

The operation and advantages of my improved coin-actuated mechanism will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which it appertains. The packages or articles to be vended are arranged in the commodity-holding member 1 and when it is desired to obtain one of the same the purchaser places a suitable coin in the coin-slot 25 and rotates the cylindrical barrel 24 of the coinreceiving member by means of the handle 249 against the tension of the spring 249 until the said barrel is inverted and the coin-slot 25 is, brought into registration with the upper end of the coin-tube 28, allowing the coin to be deposited into said coin-tube and into position in which it is supported upon the coin last previously deposited into the coin-tube 28, which last previously deposited coin is supported or temporarily checked in its downward movement by the spring-finger 31. thus depositing the coin in the coin-tube the curved guidefingers 30 prevent misplacement of the coin during the inversion of the coin-receiving member. If the coin be of less than the proper diameter, it will pass entirely through the slot in to the coin-receivin g member and escape at one side of the coin-tube 28. If the coin be of more than the proper diameter, it will not fit in the coin-slot 25 nor will it enter the coin-tube 28. Upon the return movement of the coin-receiving member under actuation of the spring 243 the camshaped finger 33 passes through the vertical slot in the top of the coin-tube 28 and engages the coin last deposited in the coin-tube 28, which coin it forces downwardly, with the result that the coin which is directly supported or detained by the spring-finger 31 is forced beneath said spring-finger and downwardly into the coin-tube 33", where it is sustained by the forwardly-projecting end of the connecting-lever 18. In this position the lastmentioned coin is interposed between the finger or lug 38 upon the operating-plunger and the forward end of the connection-lever 18. The operating-plunger 23 is now depressed, and through the medium of the last-mentioned coin the forwardly-projecting end of the connection-lever is depressed, causing the oscillation of said lever and the consequent oscillation of the carriage 12. As the carriage 12 is moved forwardly and downwardly in its oscillation the curved fingers 14c of the same carry forwardly with them one of the articles or packages stored in the casing 11 of the commodity-holding member 1 and deposit the said package or article in the downwardly-inclined chute 16, whence the same is discharged. The sector-shaped carriage 12 provents the emission of any of the articles or packages in the casing 11 during the oscillation of the carriage 12, said carriage operating to effectively close the lower open end of the casing 11. As the carriage reaches its position of extreme forward oscillation the ejectiomfingers 17 pass between the spaced curved fingers 1a of the carriage and eject the package or article into the chute 16. As soon as the pressure is removed from the operating-plunger 23 the coin which is interposed between the same and the forward end of the connection-lever 18 passes laterally through the slot 39 and into the guide-tube 40, whence it is discharged into the coin-compartment 8. At the same time the operating-plunger and the forwardly-projecting end of the connection-lever 18 assume their normal position of elevation and the carriage 12 of the delivery member is returned to its normal position by the spring 15, in which normal position it receives upon its curved fingers 14 another of the articles or packages which are stored in the casing 11. It is manifest that the entire operation of the mechanism is caused by merely placing the coin in the coin-slot 25, then turning the handle 24: of the barrel 24, and then depressing the operating-plunger 23. Even should a coin of improper size pass into the coin-tube 28 the defrauding of the mechanism would be prevented, as the camshaped finger 33 would fail to engage the same to force the coin beneath the same past the spring-finger 31 and into position between the operating-plunger and the forwardly-projecting end of the connection-lever. It will thus be seen that the operation of the mechanism without the employment of the proper coin is approximately impossible.

I do not desire to be understood as limiting myself to the details of construction and arrangement as herein described and illustrated, as it is manifest that variations and modifications may be made in the features of construction and arrangement in the adaptation of the device to various conditions of use without departing from the spirit and tion and modification as properly fall within the scope of my invention and the terms of the following claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In a mechanism of the class described, a coin-receiving member, a main coin-guide, a supplemental coin-guide, said coin-guides consisting each of an upright coin-tube, the coin-receiving member being arranged to deposit the coin directly into the 'main coinguide, a coin-actuated member projecting at one end into the coin-tube of said supplemental coin-guide, an operating member projecting into the coin-tube of said supplemental coin-guide and above said coin-actuated member, and the coin-tube of the main coin-guide communicating with the coin-tube of the supplemental coin-guide at a point between said coin-actuated member and said operating member.

2. In a mechanism of the class described, a coin-guide consisting of a coin-tube provided at a predetermined point with an inwardlyprojecting spring-finger and provided at its top with a curved guide device, a rotary coinreceiving member arranged above the cointube and provided with a contracted coinslot in which the coin is temporarily held, devices for rotating the coin-receiving member to deposit the coin in the coin-tube and over said curved guide device, and a cam-like device carried by the coin-receiving member for forcing the coin past said spring-finger, the relative arrangement of parts being such that two coins may be simultaneously accommodated in upright file in the coin-tube between said coin-receiving member and said spring-finger, said cam-like device carried by the coin-receiving member operating to force the lowermost of said coins past said springfinger.

3. In a mechanism of the class described, a coin-tube provided at its top with a curved guide device, a rotary coin-receiving member arranged above the coin-tube and provided with a contracted coin-slot in which the coin is temporarily held, devices for rotating the coin-receiving member to deposit the coin in the coin-tube and over said curved guide device, and tensional means for opposing the rotation of the coin-receiving member.

4. In a mechanism of the class described, a coin-guide, devices for temporarily checking the passage of a coin through the coin-guide, a pivoted coin-receiving member arranged above the coin-guide and provided with a contracted coin-slot in which the coin is temporarily held, devices for tilting the coin-receiving member to deposit the coin in the coin-guide, and devices carried by the coinreceiving member for forcing the temporarilychecked coin through the coin-guide, the relative arrangement of parts being such that two coins may be simultaneously accommodated in the coin-guide between said coin-receiving member and said devices for temporarily checking the passage of a coin through the coin-guide.

5. In a mechanism of the class described, a coin -actuated member; and an operating member comprising a coin-guide, devices for temporarily checking the passage of a coin through the coin-guide, a movable coin-receivin g member arranged to deposit the coin in the coin-guide, devices for operating the coin-receiving member, devices carried by the coin-receiving member for forcing the temporarily-checked coin through the coinguide, (the relative arrangement of parts bein g such that the coin is deposited by the coinguide in a position with respect to the coinactuated member,) and means for actuating the coin-actuated member through the medium of the coin.

6. In a mechanism of the class described, a coin actuated member; and an operating member comprising a coin-guide, a pivoted coin-receiving member arranged above the coin-guide and provided with a contracted coin-slot in which the coin is temporarily held, devices for operating the coin-receiving member, (the relative arrangement of parts being such that the coin is deposited by the coinguide in a position with respect to the coinactuated member,) and means for actuating the coin-actuated member through the medium of the coin.

7. In a mechanism of the class described, a coin-tube provided with an elongated slot, a movable delivery member, a connection-lever operatively connected with the delivery member and projecting at one end through said elongated slot, an operating-plunger, and a second coin-tube communicating with the first coin-tn be at a point between the projecting end of the connection-lever and plunger whereby the connection-lever may be operated to move the delivery member through the medium of an interposed coin.

8. In a mechanism of the class described, a movable delivery member, a main coin-guide, a coin-receiver located in juxtaposition to the top of the main coin-guide and adapted to deposit the coin directly into the main coinguide, a supplemental coin-guide, provided with a vertical slot, a pivoted lever operatively connected with the delivery member and projecting into said slot below the connection of the main and supplemental coinguides, and an operating member projecting into said slot above such connection.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name in the presence of the subscribing witnesses.

FRANK M. SEARS.

Witnesses:

W. D. JAooBs, G. W. ORoU'rER. 

